Date: 2025-12-03Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2444 of 2 December 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058 as regards the special rate of official controls for the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of consignments of certain retail goods
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
**Executive Summary**
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2444, dated 2 December 2025, amends Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058 concerning the special rate of official controls for the entry of certain retail goods into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom. The amendment reduces the frequency rate of identity checks. The Regulation enters into force the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058:**
* Article 3(1) is amended to change the frequency rate of identity checks at SPS Inspection Facilities of first arrival in Northern Ireland.
* **Reduced Frequency Rate:**
* Identity checks, including checks for compliance with pre-packing and marking requirements referred to in Articles 4(1)(a) and 5(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231, shall be performed at a frequency rate of **8%** on all consignments of retail goods.
* The new rate does not apply to goods referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 3 (not specified in this document).
* **Entry into Force:**
* The Regulation enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
* **Applicability:**
* The Regulation is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
**Impact Analysis**
**Competent Authorities of the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland:**
* **Impact**
* Reduced frequency rate of identity checks at SPS Inspection Facilities of first arrival in Northern Ireland.
* **Action Required**
* Implement the new 8% frequency rate for identity checks on consignments of retail goods.
**Union representatives exercising the rights under Article 12(2) of the Windsor Framework:**
* **Impact**
* Ensuring compliance with the amended regulation regarding identity check frequency on retail goods entering Northern Ireland.
* **Action Required**
* Monitor and verify the implementation of the new 8% frequency rate for identity checks on retail goods consignments.
**Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) Inspection Facilities of first arrival in Northern Ireland:**
* **Impact**
* The updated frequency for identity checks will affect the workload.
* **Action Required**
* Adjust inspection processes to accommodate the new sampling rate.
Key Entities Referenced
Regulation (EU) 2023/1231: Regulation on specific rules relating to the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom.
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058: Implementing Regulation laying down specific rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231, particularly regarding official controls.
Northern Ireland: The region to which the regulation pertains, specifically concerning the entry of retail goods from other parts of the United Kingdom.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2444: The current regulation that amends Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058, focusing on the rate of official controls.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/2444 3.12.2025
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2025/2444
of 2 December 2025
amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058 as regards the special rate of official controls for
the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of consignments of certain
retail goods
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2023 on specific
rules relating to the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of certain consignments of retail
goods, plants for planting, seed potatoes, machinery and certain vehicles operated for agricultural or forestry purposes, as
well as non-commercial movements of certain pet animals into Northern Ireland(1), and in particular Article 4(3), first and
third subparagraphs, thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 lays down specific rules relating to, among other things, the entry into Northern Ireland
from other parts of the United Kingdom of certain consignments of retail goods for placing on the market in
Northern Ireland for the final consumer, including specific rules on special rates of official controls on retail goods at
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) Inspection Facilities of first arrival in Northern Ireland.
(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058(2) lays down, among other things, special rates of official
controls for the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom and the placing on the market
in Northern Ireland of consignments of certain retail goods. Article 3(1), first subparagraph, of that Implementing
Regulation provides that identity checks, including checks for compliance with the requirements to be prepacked
and bear a marking referred to in Article 4(1), point (a), and Article 5(1), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231,
are to be performed at a frequency rate of 10 % on all consignments of certain retail goods.
(3) Article 4(3), third subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 provides that, where the marking requirements for
milk and dairy products laid down in Article 6(1), point (b), of that Regulation, are complied with, the special rate of
identity checks is to be reduced to 8 % of all consignments.
(4) According to the reports provided by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom in respect of Northern
Ireland and by the Union representatives exercising the rights under Article 12(2) of the Windsor Framework(3), all
milk and dairy products to which the specific rules apply, bear an individual marking in accordance with
Article 6(1), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231.
(5) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6) In order for the amendment provided for in this Regulation to be applied as soon as possible, this Regulation should
enter into force as a matter of urgency.
(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
(1) OJ L 165, 29.6.2023, p. 103, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1231/oj.
(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058 of 26 September 2023 laying down specific rules for the application of
Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the special rates of official controls and the model
general certificate for the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of consignments of certain retail goods
(OJ L 238, 27.9.2023, p. 97, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/2058/oj).
(3) See Joint Declaration No 1/2023 of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the
withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy
Community (OJ L 102, 17.4.2023, p. 87).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/2444/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 3.12.2025
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
In Article 3(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2058, the first subparagraph is replaced by the following:
‘Identity checks, including checks for compliance with the requirements to be prepacked and bear a marking referred to in
Article 4(1), point (a), and Article 5(1), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231, shall be performed at SPS Inspection
Facilities of first arrival in Northern Ireland at a frequency rate of 8 % on all consignments of retail goods referred to in
Article 1, other than those referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.’.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 2 December 2025.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/2444/oj